The deadline is fast approaching for companies to submit proposals towards advanced development of medical countermeasures for use in settings following the intentional release or naturally occurring outbreak of high priority pathogens.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) funding effort seeks to develop candidate products containing both a vaccine component and a technology that accelerates the immune response.
The Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) recognizes that use of vaccines in response to a significant bioterrorism or public health threat would be greatly enhanced by developing vaccines that are easy to deliver, produce protective immunity with one dose of vaccine and do not require a cold chain for storage or distribution.
Eligible vaccine candidate products include those for agents identified as NIAID Category A and B Priority Pathogens such as plague, smallpox, Q fever and tularemia, excluding B. anthracis. The technology components used in the proposed candidate product may, for example, consist of a new adjuvant, an immune modulator, a formulation technology or a delivery platform designed to enhance the protective immune response.
Per the BAA, simply changing a vaccine formulation, such as taking a liquid to a stable lyophilized vaccine formulation, would not be sufficient to meet the objectives.
The eventual goal is to enable the U.S. Government to stockpile these medical countermeasures and associated technologies to protect the American public following a biological event. Product developers should be cognizant of the logistical implications of using these products during a public health emergency.
NIAID estimates that one or more contracts may be issued for a total cost of up $44.5 million for a five-year period of performance. Full details are available under Solicitation Number: BAA-NIAID-DMID-NIHAI2010103. The final response deadline is June 23, 2012.
